"He gave me a little scare, though." "Your crowd lost a couple of men; besides, you give more hold-offs." "That's it." They abandoned the subject by mutual consent; only Stover remembered for months after the tension he had felt and the tugging at the heart-strings. If he could feel that way for his friend, what would be his sensations when he faced his own crisis on Tap Day? Fellows from other houses came thronging in with reports of how the class had divided up. Every one had his own list of the hold-offs, completing it according to the last returns, amid a bedlam of questions. "How did Story go?" "Did Schley get a hold-off?" "Yes, but Troutman didn't." "He did, too." "When?" "Half an hour late." "Brockhurst got one." "You don't say so!" "Gimbel get anythin'?" "No." "Regan?" "Don't know." "Any one know about Regan?" "No." "How about Buck Waters?" "I don't know. I think not." "Damned shame." "What, is Buck left out?" "'Fraid so." "What's wrong?" "Too much sense of humor." Stover, off at one side, watched the group, seeing the interested calculation as each scanned his own list, wondering who would have to be eliminated if he were to be chosen. Story, Tommy Bain, and Hunter were in his crowd, as he had foreseen. He went out and across the campus to South Middle, where Regan was now rooming. By the Coöp he found Bob Story, and together they went up the creaky stairs. Regan was out--just where, the man who roomed on his entry did not know. "How long has he been out?" said Story anxiously. "Ever since supper." "Didn't he come in at all?" "No." "Were they going to give him a hold-off?" said Stover, as they went down. "Yes. They've been looking everywhere for him." "I don't think the old boy would take it." "Can't you make him see what it would mean to him?" "I've tried." "I'm afraid Regan's queered himself with a lot of our crowd," said Story thoughtfully. "They don't understand him and he doesn't want to understand them. Didn't he know this was the night?" "Yes; I told him." "Stayed away on purpose?" "Probably." "Too bad. He's just the sort of man we ought to have." "How do you feel about the whole proposition?" said Stover curiously. "The sophomore society question?" said Story frankly. "Why, I think there've got to be some reforms made; they ought to be kept more democratic." "You think that?" "Yes; I think we want to keep away a good deal from the social admiration game--be representative of the real things in Yale life; that's why we need a man like Regan. Course, I think this--that we've all got too much this society idea in our heads; but, since they exist it's better to do what we can to make them representative and not snobbish."